Congress launches investigation into Rob Porter controversy

CNN

8:31 AM, Feb 14, 2018

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WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 28: House Benghazi Committee Chairman, Trey Gowdy (R-SC), participates in a news conference with fellow Committee Republicans after the release of the Committees Benghazi report on Capitol Hill June 28, 2016 in Washington, DC. U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three others were killed during an attack on a U.S. outpost and CIA annex in Libya on September 11, 2012. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

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"We are directing inquiries to people that we think have access to information we don't have. You can call it official. You can call it unofficial. Those words don't mean anything to me. What means something to me is I'm going to direct questions to the FBI that I expect them to answer," Gowdy, R-South Carolina, told CNN "New Day" co-anchor Alisyn Camerota.

He added that he was "troubled by almost every aspect" of Porter's employment at the White House.

"How do you have any job if you have credible allegations of domestic abuse? Again, I am biased toward the victim," Gowdy said.

Porter resigned last week from his role as staff secretary amid domestic abuse allegations, which he denies. CNN reported that some senior aides -- including chief of staff John Kelly -- were aware of the allegations against Porter and his troubles obtaining a security clearance. Two of Porter's ex-wives had detailed the allegations to the FBI during a routine background check into Porter.